Help with counting syllables again: "especial"

Question

I am writing a poem for my class about my daughter. I am trying to make it an ocotsílabo.

Answer 1

Es-pe-cial es su be-lle-za: 8

Cla-ro, den-tro y -por- a-fue-ra: 8

Answer 2

Especial has three syllables: es-pe-cial. The last syllable has what I believe is called a diphthong; that is, the 'ia' sound is pronounced as a single sliding sound and not two separate sounds, 'i' and 'a'.

Answer 3

Sunshinz, "especial" has 3 syllables: es-pe-cial.

Answer 4

I am writing a poem. I am trying to make it an octosílabo y con la rima asonante.

I have:

Especial es su belleza

Claro, dentro y por afuera

Both have eight syllables using la sinalefa in the second verse, right?

The first line has 7 syllables: es-pe-cial su be-lle-za. The second line has 9: cla-ro den-tro y por a-fue-ra. - MacFadden, Apr 29, 2010

However, the second line should be "por fuera" not "por afuera," so that makes it 8 syllables. - MacFadden, Apr 29, 2010

In poetry the last line would have 8 because the :o: from dentro and the :y: combine using la sinalefa. - sunshinzmommie, Apr 29, 2010

thank you for your help :) - sunshinzmommie, Apr 29, 2010

Also, 'belleza' is feminine, so if 'claro' is referring to 'belleza', it should be 'clara' - MacFadden, Apr 29, 2010

Of course. :) - MacFadden, Apr 29, 2010

?? I count 8 syllables on both lines. - Gekkosan, Apr 29, 2010

what is the difference between afuera and fuera? - sunshinzmommie, Apr 29, 2010

I never knew that about the 'o' and 'y' combining in poetry. Thanks! - MacFadden, Apr 29, 2010

It is all vowels....if one ends and the next starts with vowels then they *can* combine - sunshinzmommie, Apr 29, 2010

I add the es afterwards gekko :) - sunshinzmommie, Apr 29, 2010

I'm not 100% about the rationale for it being fuera, I just know it is. Someone once told me afuera is only for verbs that indicate movement and fuera can be used more broadly for verbs that don't idicate movement or something like that. - MacFadden, Apr 29, 2010

I don't think about the rule; it just sounds right to me. (I'm sorry I know that doesn't help you at all, it's just why I don't know how to explain it well). In this case 'por fuera' is a phrase in the dictionary. - MacFadden, Apr 29, 2010

awesome, thank you :) - sunshinzmommie, Apr 29, 2010

Of course. Sorry I couldn't explain the fuera/afuera distinction more technically. Good luck with your poem. - MacFadden, Apr 29, 2010

Thanks, I am no poet, lol but I have to write it for one of my classes :) thanks again - sunshinzmommie, Apr 29, 2010

Well, it sounds good so far! - MacFadden, Apr 29, 2010